OVERVIEW
 The Recreation
Center is located west of the Health Services
Complex, east of the U.S. Century Bank Arena, and south of the Law School.
It's convenient to those living
in the
residence
halls,
and is an easy walking distance from any faculty or staff
office on campus. Parking is available in the Panther Parking
Garage (located north of the USCB Arena), with limited parking
available
in Lot #8,
just south of the building. (Download campus map)
The Rec
Center features:
- a
2-court gym for intramural & recreational basketball,
volleyball and badminton,
- 12,500
sq. ft. of fitness space including free weights, resistance
machines and cardio equipment (over 2.5 times the space
of the former Student Fitness Center),
- 2
multipurpose group fitness rooms (for expanded PantherFIT Group
Fitness Classes,
- large
men's and women's locker rooms (each with over 200
day and semester lockers),
- Recreation
Services office
with walk-up Info/Membership window, and
- Camille's
Sidewalk Café, featuring wraps, paninis, sandwiches, smoothies and gourmet coffees.
- The Rec Center is the designated hurricane shelter for Monroe County (the Florida Keys).
Services
include:
 A
diverse PantherFIT Group
Fitness Class schedule of over 30 fitness classes
each week.
- Rec
Center
Orientations offered free daily on a walk-in basis.
- Body
Composition Assessments using the latest in bioimpedance
technology. No more pinching! (Fee = $1).
- Exercise
charts for tracking your workout routine and improvements.
- Friendly,
supportive staff with a thorough knowledge of all equipment,
always available and willing to help.
- Personal
Training with nationally certified trainers at
one of the lowest rates in the area.
- The Pro Shop for towel and laundry service, equipment checkout,
and retail sales of energy drinks/bars, fitness accessories
and locker room sundries.
- Cardiovascular
equipment reservations 24 hours in advance.
- FIU
Debit Card accepted for Pro Shop purchases and PantherFIT Group
Fitness Class fees.
History
 Designed
by The Borrelli / RDG Group and
contracted to T & G Constructors for
construction, the $6.4 million, 50,000+ sq. ft. Recreation
Center got underway in August of 2003.
The building opened on August 15, 2005. The Rec Center's construction was funded through state CITF (Capital Improvement Trust Fund) monies. FIU's Student Government Association (SGA) allocates most of the operating funds for the Center.
The Rec Center was named an "Outstanding Sports Facility" by the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) in April of 2006, and was nominated for both a "Facility of Merit" Award with Athletic Business Magazine and a Recreation Management "Innovative Architechture & Design" Award. Prior to the Rec Center construction, the 10,000 sq. ft. Fitness Center (attached to the UCSB Arena) housed fitness space on campus.
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